Attaching device for electric fixtures.



L A.- PAA-REISE. u ATTAGHING DEVICE lPQR ELECTRIC FIXTURES".`

' APPLxoATIoN FILED um. 1,1969.

A Patented M8325, 1909..

LOUIS A. PARRISLL'OF GREAT BARRINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ATTACHING DEVICE Fon ELECTRIC FIXTURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented may 25, '1909.

Application led February 1,1909. Serial Ne. 475,811.

j tures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for attaching electric fixtures to what vare com- Inonly called outlet boxes or wall boxes which boxes are often embedded in a wall and to which are led the electric cables or conductors. Whenever a connection is to be made with a conductor the terminal of which is within such box, it is necessary to expose the interior of the box to enable the electrician to makethe connections..

One of the objects of this invention is to provide means whereby sufficient of the interior of the outlet box may bev exposed for the operation of connecting without disturbing any of the plaster or, wall surface in which the boxis embedded.

Other objects are to provide a simple and secure means for attaching the fixture after he connection has been made inside of the ox. To these ends the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings z-Figure `1 I is a section through an ordinary form of out let box or wall ox having my improved means for attachin an electric fixture thereto. Fig. 2 is an e evation .from the left of Fig. 1, the orcelain block of the fixture .being remove' and the screws which hold such block in place bein-g shown in section. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 .of Fig. 1 looking in the direction Aof the arrows, said Fig. 3 showing' only portions of two of the sides ol' the box. Fig. 4 is an elevation ofthe plate which carries the collapsible lookin l ar the latter being indicated only by dotte mes. 4

Similar reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all of the views.

An outlet box or walll box of an ordinary type is indicated at 10, but Idesire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to lany particular l'orm or type of box to which the cables or conductors lead, usinoP the term outlet box only for convenience ola reference and not for any purpose of limitation. Such box it is to be understood is usuall formed with weakened portions which may e broken out, or with completely formed openin s, through which the conductors or cables ead to t e interior of the box.A The box is shown as provided with a cover portion 11. ln prac tice the box and its cover portion is usualiy embedded in the material of a Wall or ceiling,

with the odge of the* outstanding flange of the cover portion -flush with the surface ci such wall or ceiling. i

To enable any one of a Variety of forms of electric fixtures or porcelain blocks to be firmly attached to the outlet box, I provide a plate to which such fixture or block is removabl connected,` and which plate carries collapsi le locking means which may ne passed through the openin in the cover olf the box and then clampe in place. plate is indicated at 12 and is formed with a central opening 13. For convenience et illustration I have sim ly, shown a two-pari. porcelain block 14 as t e fixture which is at tached to said plate. ture forms no part of my present invention, I have not illustrated it in complete detail.

The collapsible locking bar comprises two members 15 which overlap and are slotted at their inner ends, a rivet 16 passin f through said slots. The yrivet is not hea ed down tightly but is left so as to permit the bar as a w` ole to be lengthened or shortened freely, or solas to be swung from a diametrical posi tion as shown in Fi s. 1, 2 and 3 to an angular position indicated gy dotted lines in Fig. d.

Each member 15 1s formed with a threaded hole for a screw 17, the head 18 of which is accessible from the outer side of the plate 12, said late being formed with slots 19 throuvh whic the screws pass and along which t e screw heads may be shifted to enable theex treme outer ends of the members 15 to be drawn inwardy when said members are collapsed to shorten the bar as a whole or when swun to the dotted line position of Fig. 4 so that ghe late 12 and the screws 17 and the collapsib e locking bar may be withdrawn or inserted throu h the opening in the cover 11.@ of the box. Vhen the parts are inserted and. the screws 17 shifted outward along the slots 19, the outer ends of the com ound locking bar are projected under the siioulder of the cover ortion 11, after which the screws Y? are tig tened up so as to cause the ends ef the locking bar to tightly clamp the parte in their relatlvepositions shown in Figs. l and 3 Said As such block or fixein ENT oni-rioni. g

Ulli

liti

ably'formed with notches or recesses 25 to increase the distance apart to which the arms To center the plate 12 properly, I may form it with lugs which -ht inside the circular flange of the c over portion 11. In order that any one of a variety of forms or sizes of ixtures or porcelain blocks may be secured to the plate 12, I provide said plate with two arms 21 which are pivoted to said plate at 22 and have threaded openings 23 at their free ends. Said threaded openings 23 receive screws 24 which hold the fixture or block 14 in position. By swinging the arms 21' toward or apart from each other, the threaded apertures thereof may be varied in their relative positions considerably to enable smaller or larger fixtures 14 to be secured to the plate 12. Said plate is prefer- 21 may be swung.

Having described the operation and adl vantages of the invention in connection with the description of the structure, further reference to such operation and advantages will be unnecessary..

I do not wish l variously modified within the limits of niechanical slillf.

Havin(T now described m invention what I claim is 1. An attaching device for electric fixtures, comprising a plate for supporting the iixtures, and a collapsible locking member carto be understood as limiting screws, -myself to the specific details of construction locking device projecting illustrated anddescribed, as the saine may ried by said plate andhaving end portions adapted toengage, when projected, portions of an outlet box.

2. An attaching device for electric ixtures, comprising a plate to -which the ixture ma be connected, and a longitudinally collapsible locking bar carried by said plate and having end portions adapted tol engage, when projected, portions of an outlet box.

3. An attaching device for electric ixtures, comprising a plate having an opening and vformed with diametrical slots, screws passing through said slots, a compound locking bar variable in length and having threaded apertures for said screws, 'andmeans carried by said plate for securing a fixture thereto.

4. The combination with an outlet bex having a shouldered cover, of a plate bearing on said cover said plate having an opening and radial slots, screws passing through sai slots, and a collapsible locking device comprising two members having overlappin slotted inner ends pivotally connected and formed with threaded apertures for said the other ends of the members of the under the shoulder be l of the cover.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS A. PAR-H1811.

ltnesses F. L. Snow, J. C. Fnniiv. 

